Sweet Home Chicago

The past few days have been Chicago. I fucking love this town. I am so tempted to move here (just like, right now). I wish I had gone to the University of Chicago. Maybe grad school. I guess. Today I have been exploring on my own, Wicker Park to the Loop. Tonight Annie is cooking me filet mignon and I am going to jump in the pool (again, this time not fully clothed). Today was all record stores and the Art Institute of Chicago. I’m sitting on the river drinking espresso and contemplating the recovery of the creature. (Not widely possible, but definitely a worthwhile pursuit for the jaded individual.)

This weekend was Pitchfork. Nothing ever was more hip. This shit is, I am told, more hipster-heavy than mostly any other summer festival due to its low cost, its sponsorship by a titanic arbiter of taste, and the fact it’s in Chicago. Forget Greenwich Village and Brooklyn, Wicker Park is the gentrified hipster capital of the world. It seems like everyone under 25 in this city is a fucking flaming hipster (though I’m sure location helps a lot, I’ve been staying in Logan Square and Wicker Park mostly). Everyone between the ages of 25 and 35 is either an aging hipster, an ex-hipster, or wishes they had been a hipster. There are even 25-35 year old hipster wannabes. (Brendan: “He’s doing it wrong.”) I’m no authority yet, but it looks like where I’ve been in Chicago is as good as it gets.

So between record stores and almost spending $200 I don’t have in the John Fluevog store, I have to say today was a success. One question though, and tell me if you have any stories or information about this:

I heard from a friend that American Apparel doesn’t prosecute shoplifters because the cool kids shoplift and they want those guys hanging out in their stores. It seems a little weird but it also makes a lot of sense: the brand is entirely based upon the image of the svelte hipster. Does anyone have any stories about American Apparel shoplifting, or can corroborate my friend’s story about the company policy? I’m really curious now.